Job Description

Join our journey

Are you ready for a fresh challenge in one of the UK's most beautiful regions? Bolthole Retreats is an award-winning, independent holiday cottage company specialising in hand-picked properties across the Cotswolds, Herefordshire, Forest of Dean and beyond. We're proud to work with some of the most beautiful homes in these regions and to create meaningful holiday experiences for guests from across the world.

Our business is growing fast, but we're grounded in what matters: exceptional service, authentic stays, and a personal approach to both our owners and guests.

We're in the midst of an exciting rebrand, launching soon, that marks a new chapter for Bolthole Retreats. It's a defining moment in our journey - one that will elevate our presence in the market and sharpen our brand identity.

The role

As the Head of Marketing, you'll report directly to the Managing Director and take ownership of all marketing activity across the business. From paid and performance marketing to brand campaigns, partnerships, social and offline promotions - you'll be responsible for driving both awareness and results across every stage of the funnel.

You'll manage a Marketing Executive and help oversee the workload of our Content Marketing Executive. You'll ensure priorities are clear, deadlines are met, and our messaging is consistent and effective across all platforms.

This is a hands-on role that blends strategy with day-to-day delivery - perfect for someone who can switch between big-picture thinking and getting the job done.

Key responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of a 360-degree marketing strategy aligned with business objectives. Plan and manage integrated campaigns to drive traffic, increase engagement, boost bookings and grow brand awareness. Own guest and owner communications, ensuring messaging is consistent, engaging and on-brand. Line-manage the Marketing Executive and help manage the workflow of the Content Marketing Executive. Oversee marketing budget planning, tracking and optimisation to deliver strong return on investment. Support and guide paid media campaigns, SEO activity, content development and creative campaign planning. Manage external agencies and freelancers, providing clear briefs, strategic direction and constructive feedback to ensure all output is high quality, on-brand and aligned with business objectives. Monitor and optimise website performance, using CRO tactics to improve user journeys and increase conversion rates. Analyse campaign performance and user behaviour using tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush to inform decision-making. Lead the social media strategy and content calendar, reporting on performance and ensuring growth and engagement. Drive promotional activity for new properties, regions and key seasonal moments. Identify and brief website updates to enhance UX and revenue-driving functionality. Build and manage relationships with partners, affiliates, listings and PR contacts to extend brand reach. Stay ahead of marketing trends, competitor activity and industry news, sharing insights with the wider team. Deliver monthly reports on marketing performance for the board. Work closely with the Owner Services team to evaluate and report on the performance of individual properties, using marketing insight to inform owner communications and future promotional opportunities.

About you

Proven experience in a B2C marketing management role, ideally in the travel, leisure or lifestyle sector. Strong understanding of full-funnel marketing, from awareness to conversion and retention. Solid grasp of CRO principles and how to improve on-site performance through testing and iteration. A natural storyteller with a strong sense of brand and campaign development. Analytical mindset, with confidence in using data to inform decisions and optimise performance. Confident managing multiple projects and deadlines, balancing strategy with delivery. Experience managing and developing team members. Skilled in using platforms such as Google Analytics, Clarity, Mailchimp, WordPress and social scheduling tools. Knowledge of the area or of the premium UK holiday rental market is an advantage. Creative, collaborative and commercially minded.

What you'll get

A key role in a successful, independent company with big ambitions. The chance to help shape a growing brand in a supportive, close-knit team. A creative and varied role in a fast-moving environment. A office based in a central Cheltenham location with parking Private medical cover for you and your family 30 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) increasing after 2 years' service Birthday day leave Business performance bonus Employee discount
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 45,000.00-50,000.00 per year

Additional pay:

Performance bonus Yearly bonus
Benefits:

Company pension Employee discount On-site parking
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person

Reference ID: Marketing1